Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-05-07

On the corner of Chestnut and Juniper
streets, in Philadelphis, is a square, ugly
building, with bed or two of red geran-
iums in front, and United States flag fly
ing overhead. In the center of this build
ing, in an open courtyard, are piled up
crates covered with stout wire net and
guarded by men under arms.
These crates contain partially refined
silver ore from Colorado, and the value of
each is about 81 900.
Some $4,000 or 1900 pounds of silver
are melted every day, and come out of the
grimy smelling room in glittering ingots
These long bars are held each in turn I'M
der the topping machine, which is heavy
steel shaft with a knife edge that smoothes
of the ends of the metal bars as easily as
if il were pairing an apple.
The ingots then have the shape and a
good deal the appearance of bar of white
cream candy in the confectioner's jars
Each one is next put under rollers, like
dough, and tiattened to the thickness of n
dollar.
The precious dough is then heated and
handed over to a gigantic cook made of re-
volving wheels and steel bars, who swiftly
cuts it into tiny biscuits, $50 minnie
These little cakes are seized by another
machine which mills the edges, and they
them, and from that to revolving tub of
sawdust. They are now smooth, bright
discs OF silver, with milled edges.
The press which makes them into coins
is monstrous, dumb, intelligent creature
1t is waited upon by pretty young girl
who drops the discs into long tube. from
which this dumb monster (who seems to
be thinking of something greater than its
work. picks each one out with its claw like
fingers, places it between its lips, on one
which is head of Liberty, and the other
an eagle. The mouth shuts on it with ter
rible force, and spts it forth dollar.
Each dollar is weighed, and if too light
or too heavy is rejected and sent back to
the melting furnace.
The Government is a thrifty manufact-
urer; the fragments we may be sure are
so carefully gathered up that nothing is
lost. The pieces out of which the coin is
cut, and the silver filing from the milling
machine, all go back of course to beme,ted
over. The floors and walls of the mint
are covered with iron grating, through
which the scrapings and precious dust sift.
These amount in value to thirty or forty
thousand dollare year. At certain inter-
walls the grating itself is melted down and
yields its prey OF precious metals Youth :
Companion.
HOW A wooDCHUCK SLEEPS In WHITTIER.
A Hartford, Conn, gentleman who had
tame woodchuck as a pet, write thus:
Winter coming on we placed his box
in warm corner and the woodchuck
went into it, arranged its bed with care
and became torpid. Some six weeks hav-
ing passed without its appearing, or hav-
ing any food, had it taken out of the box
and brought into the parlor.
:" 1t was inanimate and as round as a ball
its nose being buried, as it were, in the
lower part of its abdomen and covered by
its tail. 1t was rolled over the carpet many
times, but without effecting any apparent
change in its lethargic condition
Then | laid it close to the fire. In
about half an hour my pet slowly unrolled
ITSELF raised its head from the carpet
looked around for a few minutes, and then
slowly crawled away, moving about the
room as if in search of its bed
- took it up, and had it carried down
stairs and placed again in its box, where it
went to sleep, and slept as soundly as ever
until spring made its appearance.
6 The season advancing and the trees
showing their leaves, the wcodchuck be-
came as brisk and gentle as could be de-
sired, and was frequently brought into the
parlor. The succeeding winter this animal
evineed the same disposition, and never
appeared to suffer by its long Sleep
Youths ColtDdaion